Douglas councillors will now be allowed to attend meetings remotely.

Members can join meetings if there are ‘extenuating circumstances’ which would leave them unable to join in person. 
The local authority will also be looking again at live streaming some meetings, which it had stopped previously due to low viewing numbers. 
Douglas Councillor Andrew Bentley explained it won’t be extended to full council meetings due to ‘antiquated’ technology in the council chamber. 
He said: ‘It’s about integrating modern technology, particularly post-pandemic, during which we had to work remotely.

‘The committees have had to reduce from five members to four, and with the requirement for three members to be present, it only needs two people to not be available and the committee would be postponed for a month.

‘The change was to allow a single member to attend the meeting remotely if they’ve been away on business and they had access to the relevant communication equipment then they could take part and that would make the meeting quiet and speed at the council business.’